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$2000 Verizon Bill :(

cornopaez

cornopaez

macrumors regular
Original poster
So, today I got home and found out that after canceling my contract my verizon contract I had a massive bill: $1983.85 USD. Apparently after spending some time in the phone with these guys, the told me that I had used 3.7Gb+ of data outside my plan (didn't have a data plan, so they charged as I downloaded.) The thing is that I didn't use any data as far as I know (no tethering and I disconfigured the phone so that it wouldn't connect to the internet without me knowing) but it still shows in their record as if I had.

They said they were going to let me know what it could be do for me but I have to wait for them to call them back. I'm a poor college student and it would take almost 5 months in my miserable part-time job salary to pay the massive bill (that without spending any money in food, books etc.) Bankruptcy sounds more and more real if they can't work anything out 🙁.

Anyone out there has had a billing problem with Verizon in the past? Anyone knows if they have a little bit of pity (or a big heart)? 😱
 
They'll waive all the fees if you ask them to and don't give up. Make it clear that they HAVE to find something to do because you CANNOT afford the bill.
 
Tell The Consumerist about your story. It seems more and more that if your story is published, it usually works out better for the consumer. Just an idea.

Other than that, ask them what you downloaded (if they have that information). Continue to tell them that your phone has been turned off and there is no way you could have used that much data.
 
Other than that, ask them what you downloaded (if they have that information).
Click to expand...

Absolutely press them for details. They may be trying to bullsh*t you. Also, act quickly - if they sell your debts to a collection agency (which they often do after you cancel your account), you will have little recourse.
 
I agree to keep pressing them... It may help to force them to produce an itemized list of your data expenditures, so that you can demonstrate to them that this is an error on their part.

Actually (giving you the benefit of the doubt)... that is a very odd situation. I've never used Verizon, but it is preposterous that, even if you had used data services, that they would let you use multiple gigs of data services pay-as-you-go. 3.7 gigs is a lot of data services, even on a 3G service.

T-Mobile doesn't have pay-as-you-go data, AFAIK. All data functions are inoperative until / unless you purchase a data services plan.
 
Yes, I'd ask for detailed data useage. Compare it to your phone useage. If there's even an iota of overlap then there's a billing error, because voice/data do not work simultaneously on Verizon's network.

What kind of phone do you have? Is it a plain featurephone? There's something fishy about anything other than a PDA phone or a tethered phone d/ling that much data...
 
I agree with mkrishnan it's hard to get 3.7 Gb of data on a pay as you go plan! The most I've gotten dinged for is when I hit my SLVR's browser button by mistake and received a charge for 500kb for less than a minutes worth (between me pressing the button and noticing it was on). 😱 For a simple browser and the short duration I was shocked at how much it cost (like an additional $4 or something).

Keep bugging Verizon though if you keep calm and explain the extremes you went to to disable internet access. And remember some people have seen worse recently.
 
I think Verizon just likes stealing money from people. They false advertise soo much! They tell you one thing at the store and then the bill come sand it's a completely different prices than what they told you it would be.

If I wasn't a poor college student, I would switch to AT&T and get an iPhone in a second. But for now, I'm stuck with Verizon since I'm on my Mom and Dad's plan. The verizon guy sold us the crappiest AudioVox phones ever made. I think that Verizon looks for people who are scam artists when looking for people to hire.
 
I don't understand how Verizon continues to get away with half assing people. Do people just put up with their monopoly simply because of good call signal?
 
Hummer said:
I don't understand how Verizon continues to get away with half assing people. Do people just put up with their monopoly simply because of good call signal?
Click to expand...

Sometimes people don't have a choice because no other network is usable where they are.
 
I know it's a bit late to suggest this, but as a student wouldn't it be safer to use a prepaid plan? It's impossible to get a huge bill if you're limited to the amount you've prepaid.
 
cycocelica said:
Tell The Consumerist about your story. It seems more and more that if your story is published, it usually works out better for the consumer. Just an idea.
Click to expand...
I tend to disagree.

You get what you want by being polite yet firm. If your persistent, this will almost always work. ...You only need to resort to other means (such as contacting the media) when ALL other methods fail. If you jump to this final step early, it only shows your weakness.

Remember, Verizon still hasn't done anything wrong.
 
EricNau said:
I tend to disagree.

You get what you want by being polite yet firm. If your persistent, this will almost always work. ...You only need to resort to other means (such as contacting the media) when ALL other methods fail. If you jump to this final step early, it only shows your weakness.

Remember, Verizon still hasn't done anything wrong.
Click to expand...

I agree, use those methods only as a last resort. I would try to get them to waive the charges or at the very least reduce the amount you owe them. I would be very firm that you are a college student and not capable of just paying a $2,000 bill. Be firm, but polite.


Best of luck cornopaez. 🙂
 
Hummer said:
I don't understand how Verizon continues to get away with half assing people. Do people just put up with their monopoly simply because of good call signal?
Click to expand...

mrkramer said:
Sometimes people don't have a choice because no other network is usable where they are.
Click to expand...

That's true where I live in MD so my family has a Verizon plan. But lately I've gotten so pissed with Verizon's nickel and diming and crappy phones that I'm probably going to switch to AT&T and just pay for it myself.
 
Don't worry about it, what are they going to do threaten you with a poor credit history and a bunch of phone calls. 😉

How are they going to call you if they cancel your phone? 😛

---

I'm sure something will be worked out ... since they would like to get something rather than nothing.
 
Yet another reason I hate verizon- bad billing. We've had a few instances where they've messed up. For example they gave my sisters phone a Mass area code, my sister got unlimited text but they put it on my moms phone so they slapped us with a huge text bill so that had to get sorted out, they said my mom used $40 of internet use when this lady can't even send a text message or delete messages in her voicemail.
 
wightstraker said:
Absolutely press them for details.
Click to expand...

A brief update in the situation. I've been on the phone with them for a couple of days trying to do a follow up of the situation (they said "call you back in a couple of hours"... has been two days and not a word from the guys that are supposed to call me) and they say they don't have any details on the transaction. They cannot tell me about what and when I spent the stuff...

C'mon Verizon, call me already!

Oh, what a "happy" holidays. 😡
 
cornopaez said:
A brief update in the situation. I've been on the phone with them for a couple of days trying to do a follow up of the situation (they said "call you back in a couple of hours"... has been two days and not a word from the guys that are supposed to call me) and they say they don't have any details on the transaction. They cannot tell me about what and when I spent the stuff...

C'mon Verizon, call me already!

Oh, what a "happy" holidays. 😡
Click to expand...
If they can't tell you what they're charging you for it would seem likely they can't force you to pay.

Most phones I've owned have data logs, does yours and if so have they recorded any data use?
 
cornopaez said:
A brief update in the situation. I've been on the phone with them for a couple of days trying to do a follow up of the situation (they said "call you back in a couple of hours"... has been two days and not a word from the guys that are supposed to call me) and they say they don't have any details on the transaction. They cannot tell me about what and when I spent the stuff...

C'mon Verizon, call me already!
Click to expand...
Ask to speak with a supervisor next time they (or you) call.
 
mpw said:
If they can't tell you what they're charging you for it would seem likely they can't force you to pay.

Most phones I've owned have data logs, does yours and if so have they recorded any data use?
Click to expand...

Agreed. I've always hated Verizon (I've never had them, but friends have and do) and I hate how they take awesome phones like the MotoQ and cripple the frick out of them. That said, I know other carriers have phones like the MotoQ, and they haven't ruined it. I was with T-Mobile for a year with my parents and then we switched to then Cingular because I wanted a RAZR V3 Black really badly. I was on my parents' family plan for 2 or so years, and then this past September I got an iPhone and I started my own plan.

When I had my RAZR I lost it, and some punk kid (I think I know who it is) took it and charged like $12 of ringtones on it. We called Cingular and they waived the charges. I've never had a problem with Cingular-now-ATT.

If and when you can switch to ATT, as their service rocks.

Also I agree that if they can't provide a data log, they shouldn't be able to make you pay. I think you should sue them if you can't resolve it in any other way.
 
You've heard of no taxation without representation?

Try this: No billing without itemization. If that can't tell you precisely what you're being billed for, someone in some cubicle screwed up, and you should keep pushing (however politely) until you get that through to them and get some real answers.
 
I've actually decided not to use any portable electronic devices like
PDA'S OR CELLPHONES whatsoever. No bills. A laptop connected once in awhile to the internet is enough.

This being connected all the time is tedious. No one cares what your
doing every minute, do they?
 
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